1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to image recording systems in which image data supplied from image supply apparatuses is recorded using image recording apparatuses. In particular, the present invention relates to image recording systems in which image data supplied from image supply apparatuses is transferred to image recording apparatuses via communication media for recording.
More specifically, the present invention relates to an image recording system in which image data supplied from an image supply apparatus is recorded using an image recording apparatus in the coexistence of a plurality of standards for providing image recording services. In particular, the present invention relates to an image recording system in which image data supplied from an image supply apparatus compatible with a first standard for providing an image recording service is recorded using an image recording apparatus compatible with a second standard for providing an image recording service.
2. Description of the Related Art
Cameras have a long history as devices for recording visual information. Recently, in place of film cameras photographing images using films and photosensitive plates, digital cameras that digitally encode images captured using solid-state imaging elements such as charge coupled device (CCD) or complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) imaging elements have become widespread. The digital cameras have advantages of allowing digitally encoded images to be stored in memory devices for image processing and image management using computers, and of avoiding the lifetime problem of films.
In many cases, images captured using digital cameras are encoded and compressed within the maim body of the cameras using techniques such as the Joint Picture Experts Group (JPEG). The resulting images are stored in built-in memory devices or media placed in the cameras, such as memory stick® devices, and are loaded into personal computers via the media or connection cables such as a universal serial bus (USB) cable. The images are subjected to various types of data processing including image processing, such as storing and managing image files, reproducing the image files, and converting the quality of the image files, image editing, and image printing, in rich graphical user interface (GUI) operation environments available on the personal computers.
However, when images captured using digital cameras are printed through personal computers, application software for transferring data and printing the images is necessary, and the installing operation is time-consuming.
Recently, a “direct printing” technique has been increasingly available. The direct-printing technique allows direct printing of images captured using digital cameras by connecting the digital cameras to printers without loading image data of the images into personal computers.
For example, the Camera & Imaging Products Association (CIPA) established “PictBridge,” which is a communication standard for providing direct printing between digital cameras and printers. PictBridge-compatible devices are connected via a USB cable to enable direct printing without installing special software. A user can operate buttons, etc., of a digital camera to easily print an image being displayed on a liquid crystal monitor of the digital camera. The user can also specify print settings (e.g., paper size), and if no settings are specified, the image can be printed according to the default settings of the printer. As well as printing a specified image, various functions such as index printing in which a list of thumbnail images is printed, the production of a plurality of prints of the same image, and the production of prints with date can also be used. Further, if an event such as an error occurs during printing, an error message can be displayed on the liquid crystal monitor or the like of the digital camera.
A large number of recent commercially available digital cameras and printers are compatible with the PictBridge standard. In the PictBridge standard, USB is used as a physical layer, and Picture Transfer Protocol (PTP) is used as the data communication protocol. PTP is a protocol for transferring an image from a digital camera to a computer via a USB connection, and is supported on, for example, Windows® XP or MacOS X.
For example, a digital still camera in which Mass Storage, PTP, or PictBridge is selectable as the USB-based communication standard has been proposed (see, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2005-128869). If a device connected to the digital still camera is not compatible with the currently set communication standard, inside the digital still camera, the communication line is initialized to change the communication standard.
Internet protocol (IP) networks can also be used as means other than USB connections for establishing connections between digital cameras and printers. While PTP is based on USB connections, an extended, IP-compatible version of PTP, called PTP/IP, in which data can also be transferred via wireless local area networks (LANs), was released to the public by CIPA.
Universal Plug and Play (UPnP™) proposed by Microsoft Corporation is one known technique standard for mutually providing functions (services) between a plurality of devices over IP networks (see, for example, “Universal Plug and Play Device Architecture Version 1.0”). Devices on a UPnP network are classified into service providing devices and service controlling devices called control points, between which notification and detection of services are performed. In UPnP, prior to the establishment of a connection, a device obtains an IP address from a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) server or assigns itself an IP address using Auto-IP. Then, the device accesses a UPnP network. When accessing a UPnP network, the device transmits information concerning the type of the device via multicasting to notify a control point of the presence of the device. Upon recognizing the presence of the device, the control point obtains data written in an extensible markup language (XML) from the device, which includes information relating to the type of the device and the service available from the device. At this time, the control point can recognize the information supported by the device, and can therefore control the device remotely. For example, a digital camera that can access a network as a UPnP control device and that can automatically select a specific device (e.g., printer) to be controlled from among a plurality of UPnP devices present on the network has been proposed (see, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2005-217974).
One known communication standard based on UPnP™ that allows direct printing between printers and devices such as a digital camera is “PrintEnhanced”. In the PrintEnhanced standard, a digital camera can be connected not only to a printer but also to other various UPnP-compatible digital devices over an IP network such as a wireless LAN. The prevalence of the PrintEnhanced standard is lower than that of the above-described PictBridge standard. However, due to the enjoyment of the standard procedures or functions specified in UPnP, such as assignment of IP addresses, name solution, device discovery, and recognition of device functions, the PrintEnhanced standard will be able to be used in more cases than USB connections.
The two direct printing standards, namely, PictBridge and PrintEnhanced, provide different connection styles between digital cameras and printers, and devices supporting the standards are also different. In the future, therefore, both standards will coexist in a manner that permits both standards to be used in different ways according to the application, rather than to be converged into either standard.
Recently, wireless LAN has also been widely adopted for home use, and users purchase PrintEnhanced-compatible digital cameras to enable direct printing without using any cable. However, due to the lower prevalence of PrintEnhanced-compatible printers, it is difficult to perform direct printing from PrintEnhanced-compatible digital cameras in the existence of only PictBridge-compatible printers.